I Escaped, But Only Just - Part 11: Changes

'Dad thinks its quite a good idea,' my mother said about month later. 'I'll drive you to Edale on the morning of the trip. Dad will get the bus there halfway through the week to see that everything's okay, and you'll have a nice time.'

'But I don't want to go camping with Les,' I said.

'Now what's the matter with you?' she said. 'You're always complaining you've got no friends at school.'

'Actually,' Robin said. 'We don't want to go on a camping trip with Les.'

'You as well?'

'I wasn't going to say anything, but Les' getting annoying now. He pesters us all the time because he hasn't got any other friends, and we've had enough.'

'I see,' my mother said. 'So what do you want to do?'

'Cancel the trip.'

'And is that what you really want to do?'

'Yes,' we said, in unison.

'Well, don't come crying to me when you get bored in the holidays then,' my mother said.

***
We ended up going in the end. It wasn't necessarily bad, although Les exploded and went for me half through the week as we walked through the Derbyshire countryside, hitting me over the head while Robin stood watching. Mostly, I smoked and tried to look cool and grown up - which, of course, I wasn't, otherwise I wouldn't have been hanging around with Les in the first place.

The trip came to an end and we returned to home. There were changes in store. The school music teacher had left to go and live in Israel, and I missed her. Her replacement would coach me through the new music course in the autumn. But more importantly, we were moving again, this time to a pleasant-looking three-bedroom semi in the heart of the Jewish community. A ten-minute walk to school each morning. My final year at school lay ahead.

Most important of all, the move meant I wouldn't have to see Les anymore.

A new beginning. A fresh start.

Danger. Worse danger than before.

***

In 2017, I reported Les to the police and gave a Video statement. Although the Investigators believed me, the CPS decided not to pursue the case against Les.

Unknown to me, others came forward in 2018 to report Les and he was charged over similar offences, convicted and sent to prison. I only found out by chance during Lockdown and still struggle with strong feelings of having been denied justice.